A Tangle of Engagements
by Brianna Aisling
Summary: This story is supposed to be undergoing a rewrite, but it's not moving along at all. I was going to take this one down, but there are reviews here that I'd like to keep, so I decided not to. Just know it's unfinished and staying that way.
1. I

I hope I have the Japanese words right. I've figured out the meaning on some based on content (Such as bento, which I've figured is something like a lunchbox.) but others I hope I'm remembering correctly.  
  
Another thing about this story is that the entire time line is set back two years from the original story, meaning that Ranma and Akane met when they were eighteen and not when they were sixteen. I did this so that Akane could have more of a hidden, unknown past than in the original.  
  
A Tangle of Engagements  
  
I  
  
The air was warm and smelled of blossoms. A young woman smiled and tilted her head back, inhaling the scent, a smile on her lips. Her blue hair fell back against her neck. A good distance away, a man the same age watched her, an expression of intense longing on his face. One of the young man's friends looked at him and followed his gaze. He shifted his own stance to also watch the girl.  
  
"Have you talked to her yet?"  
  
"No. I can't seem to get her alone."  
  
"What about now?"  
  
"One of my fiancées would show up."  
  
"Try anyway. You might succeed." The dark haired man slid his glance to his friend, then back to the girl. Hesitantly he nodded.  
  
"Akane?" She froze. It had been almost two months since she'd heard her name said in that voice. She'd missed it. Slowly, she let her eyes rise, running over his body, careful not to linger too long. His ice eyes met her mud ones.  
  
"Ranma." He shifted slightly.  
  
"Can I talk to you?" She shrugged.  
  
"Sure. If you want." He had been trying to talk to her since the wedding, she knew, but she hadn't wanted to talk. Two months had passed and the memory still hurt too much to think about. Ranma sat down next to her, facing her.  
  
"Um, I wanted to tell you that, on the day of the wedding--"  
  
"Ranchan!" Ranma groaned. He had been expecting this. It never failed. He looked up to check on Akane and found her gone. He stared at the empty spot where she had been sitting till Ukyo sat down, a pale replacement, proffering him homemade food.  
  
Akane wiped angrily at her cheeks. That baka would have to bring up the wedding, and, of course, as soon as the words were out of his mouth, a fiancée would show up. She'd given up hitting him and settled for running from him. It's a fine day when Tendo Akane is running from her always-hero Saotome Ranma, she thought. She had wanted to marry him. She had heard him say he loved her and then he denied it. And now she wasn't sure she wanted to marry him. If she knew, if she just knew. She wiped at her cheeks again, gritting her teeth.  
  
"I hate crying. I hate feeling this way. Damn you, Ranma. Damn you!" Her voice rose and was carried by the wind over the lake. He stood there watching her scream, catching her words. He agreed with her. He should be man enough to admit it, and not just to her, but to all of his fiancées. He should be man enough but he wasn't.  
  
Ranma watched her eat with her friends. She smiled and laughed and occasionally, when her friends were focused elsewhere, she would glance at him. A friend called his name and he turned his attention to the discussion at hand.  
  
Akane laughed at her friend's joke. A shadow fell over her and she smiled. So, Ranma finally worked up the nerve. She looked up and the smile disappeared.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she snarled. The young man took a step back.  
  
"I came to see you. I wanted to talk to you about our engagement."  
  
"Who's that with Akane?" Ranma looked up and over to Akane. A young man a little older than her stood above her. She looked furious. He was on his feet and headed to her group before he realized it.  
  
Akane stood up, shoving her food back into her bento.  
  
"I don't want to talk to you. I told you I never wanted to see you again and I meant it."  
  
"Come on, Akane." He reached out and caught her arm. She froze and turned to face him.  
  
"Let go of me."  
  
"I want to talk to you."  
  
"And I said I didn't want to talk. Now, let go." She tried to pull away but he held on. Anger and fear rolled into her. She pulled harder.  
  
"Let. Go." He tightened his grip and she winced. Suddenly a hand was on his arm.  
  
"She said to let go." Relief flooded Akane. The young man glared at Ranma.  
  
"I think you should stay out of this."  
  
"Ranma." He turned to look at Akane. "He's hurting me." Anger flared in Ranma's eyes while his face grew cold. His grip tightened on the other man's arm. He turned slowly.  
  
"Let her go." The young man let go of Akane and tried to step back. Ranma's grip held him in place. Akane stepped behind Ranma, using him as a shield.  
  
"I want you to listen to me. Akane doesn't want to see you. If I find out that you've come near her, I'll make sure you regret it. Do you understand?"  
  
"Akane's mine. I will go near her if I want to." Ranma's face twisted in a snarl. His grip tightened and the young man cringed.  
  
"Akane is not yours. Leave her alone."  
  
"She is mine. I will make her mine." Ranma's grip tightened again and the other man fell to his knees. Ranma lowered his face so that they were nose to nose.  
  
"Akane is not yours. She is mine. I have killed for her before, and I'd do it again." He let go of the young man and stepped back into Akane. She wrapped her arms around his waist. Heat seared him and flooded his body. She peered around him to the man cradling his arm.  
  
"Saito, please, I want you to leave me alone." She tugged on Ranma and he walked away with her. Saito stared after the couple, anger and hate in his eyes.  
  
They were walking close, not touching. Ranma had his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Akane?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Who was that?" Akane was silent. After a while, she tilted her head back to stare at the sky.  
  
"He was my fiancée. I thought I loved him." Jealousy shot through Ranma's limbs. "I found out my father and his father had set up the engagement, like us, when I was sixteen. He was a charmer. He knew what to say and when to say it and I fell for it. He's part of the reason I had such a problem with guys. About half a year after we met I found out he was seeing other girls. Not just seeing them, but also sleeping with them. I was hurt and Dad was furious. He broke the engagement. I haven't seen him since Dad called it off. I don't know why he came back."  
  
"You loved him?" He couldn't help but to ask. It hurt, but oh god, he wanted to know.  
  
"I thought I did. I've learned what love really is since then." Again jealousy ran through Ranma. He wanted to hurt this Saito, not just hurt him but make him suffer. Make him suffer because Akane had thought she loved Saito and Saito had hurt her and Ranma wasn't the first one she'd loved. He hated Saito. Then her words reached him.  
  
"What is love, Akane?" He looked over at her to see her smile. She didn't look at him though.  
  
"It's forgiving without the apology. It's trusting no matter what that he'd be there for you. It's helping him help others even if you know they love him too. It's crying because he doesn't know. It's crying because you try so hard and all you want to hear is a thank you but he won't say it but it doesn't matter the next day. It's knowing that he doesn't mean the things he said because when he thinks you aren't looking, you see. You see how he looks at you, how you're the one he always fights for, how you're the only one he won't hit. It's knowing that he's there, so close and will always be. He could have left at any time but he's still here. It's wanting him despite his curse. It's knowing that if he died tomorrow, you'd die too. It's knowing that he'd kill for you, die for you, live for you. It's knowing that just because three other girls are after him and you hit him all the time doesn't mean he'll give up on you. It's waiting to hear the words and knowing you'd wait  
forever." She stopped and looked at him. "I love you, Ranma. I will wait." And then she was gone.  
  
Ranma stood there, dazed. She had just said what? 


	2. II

Please forgive me my spelling.  
  
II  
  
He couldn't find her. Now of all times, he couldn't find her. She wasn't at home, she wasn't in the park, she wasn't under the bridge, she wasn't, it seemed, in Nerima. Oh, hell, he thought, she wouldn't leave after that, would she? Slowly, because he had nowhere left to look, he began to circle Nerima working his way outward. Finally, he found her in a clearing, camping supplies for two waiting beside her. When he landed in the clearing, she stood and smiled.  
  
"I was worried you wouldn't come." He didn't say anything. He couldn't. Instead, he walked toward her slowly afraid she wasn't real. He stopped within inches of her. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched her cheek. Her eyes closed and she leaned into his hand with her entire body. He flashed on a memory of her after Mikado had made his declaration sitting in the dojo, waiting for him to complete his dare. He remembered how badly he had wanted to do it, how afraid he had been, and how angry when their families had shown up. Now, though, there was no dare, there was only love and only them. So he kissed her. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. When he broke this kiss, she laid her head against his chest.  
  
"Of course, I came, Akane. I love you." She lifted her head and smiled. God, how he loved that smile. It was so bright and seemed to contain every part of her soul in it. He kissed her softly and stepped away from her. Slinging both packs over his shoulders, he held out his hand.  
  
"Are you coming?" She smiled and took it.  
  
Ukyo stood behind her grill, idly watching the cooking okanomiaki that was before her. That scene between Ranma and that other young man disturbed her. Ranma had looked pissed, but then it seemed as if the fact that he had laid a hand on Akane had made him an automatic enemy. She hadn't been close enough to hear what was said, but the look on the other man's face had made the content quite clear.  
  
Ukyo sighed and desperately wished she could ask Ranma what had happened. That, however, was impossible. She still hadn't worked up the nerve to apologize yet and Ranma had made it clear that he would have nothing to do with her unless she did. Sighing once more, Ukyo decided that it was time to quit being a coward and just do it.  
  
Kasumi opened the door to find Ukyo standing nervously on the porch. She watched Ukyo lick her lips and shift from foot to foot.  
  
"Um, can I-can I talk to Ranma, um, and Akane, please?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Ukyo, but Ranma and Akane have gone on a training trip."  
  
"Oh? Do you know where they went?"  
  
"No, I'm afraid not." Kasumi smiled that smile that was hers alone. "I will tell them that you wanted to speak to them though."  
  
"Thank you. Um, Kasumi?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Was the trip planned?"  
  
"No, I don't think so. Akane came home after school packed for both of them and left."  
  
"Oh. Thank you." Kasumi smiled again and closed the door. Ukyo stood for a moment, staring at it and then turned and walked back to her restaurant. They had gone on an impromptu training trip. Alone. She sighed.  
  
"I guess it's time to admit it. He loves her and I'm just the best friend." The tears were inevitable but knowing that didn't make them any easier to deal with.  
  
Ranma glanced at Akane. She walked sedately by his side. By his side. That sounded so right. He smiled.  
  
"Hey, Mrs. Saotome?" Akane smiled her brilliant smile.  
  
"Yeah, Mr. Saotome?"  
  
"I love you." Akane laughed.  
  
"I love you too." Ranma smiled at her and wondered how he had ever found the guts to admit he loved her, much less get her to marry him.  
  
What was supposed to be a weekend trip had somehow lasted two weeks. They had started sleeping in two tents but after one week had begun sleeping in the same tent. Each night they had gotten a bit closer and a bit more intimate. His mind was still spinning. They had slept together their final night and the next day, as he had been watching her get dressed, he had asked if she wanted too swing by one of the small towns and get married. The look on her face had been priceless, and the sex that had been her answer had been phenomenal. Yes, his mind was definitely still spinning.  
  
Suddenly energized, Ranma swept her up in his arms and ran toward home. She squealed and clung to his neck.  
  
"Ranma, what are you doing?"  
  
"I just want to get home," he answered with a lascivious grin. She laughed and lifted herself up to his ear.  
  
"Well, then, I guess we should hurry." Ranma grinned down at her and, with a quick kiss, sped up. He made it to the Tendo Dojo in record time. Pausing outside the door, Ranma looked up at the house that would be his one-day. Akane tugged at his pigtail. He looked down at her.  
  
"This will be our home one day. You and me and our children," he said softly in answer to her inquiring look. Her face softened and she kissed him softly on the lips.  
  
"Carry me over the threshold of our home, Ranma." He smiled and obeyed her.  
  
Soun looked up from his and Genma's game of shogi to see his daughter being carried into the house by Ranma. He jumped to his feet, spilling game pieces across the floor.  
  
"What's wrong with my baby girl? Ranma, how could you?" From Ranma's arms Akane laughed.  
  
"Calm down, Daddy. Nothing's wrong. In fact, I'd say everything's perfect. Right, Ranma?"  
  
"Absolutely," he answered, leaning down to kiss her. Their fathers stared in shock and then burst into cheers."  
  
"Our families will be united!"  
  
"Hey, Pop? Why are you guys talking in future tense?" Ranma and Akane burst into laughter at the confused look on their faces.  
  
"What they mean, Daddy, is that the families have already been joined." Everyone turned to find Kasumi standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She smiled.  
  
"Congratulations, Ranma and Akane. I'm pleased to see that you two are happy."  
  
"Thanks, Kasumi," Ranma said with a smile.  
  
"Thanks for what?" Nabiki pushed past Ranma and Akane, her eyes slightly wide. "And what happened to Akane?" Ranma frowned.  
  
"Why does everyone assume something's happened to Akane?"  
  
"Because you don't carry her like that unless she's hurt. What's the thanks for?"  
  
"Kasumi was congratulating us," Akane supplied.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Guess." Nabiki looked at Ranma and Akane. She noted how Ranma was still holding Akane even though she was fine, she also noted how Akane had her arms around his neck, and she noted how, hidden by Akane's shadow, there was a very...suspicious bulge in Ranma's pants. Nabiki looked up to meet Akane's eyes. She knew her little sister wouldn't have sex until she was married so....  
  
"You got married." Akane smiled and Ranma seemed a bit surprised.  
  
"Right on the nose, sis. Now if you'll excuse us, Ranma and I had, um, plans." Ranma nodded and turned to head straight up stairs. Nabiki snickered.  
  
"I bet we can guess what kind of plans."  
  
"Nabiki!" The middle Tendo daughter turned to her older sister wearing an innocent look. Kasumi looked embarrassed.  
  
"Is something wrong, Kasumi?" Kasumi chuckled and shook her head. Behind them, Soun began crying again.  
  
"My little girl's grown up!" 


	3. III

Please forgive me my spelling.  
  
III  
  
Ukyo looked up from her grill to find Ranma standing in her doorway. He was alone and Ukyo knew that that wasn't good.  
  
"Hey, Ranma." She wouldn't dare call him `Ranchan.'  
  
"Kasumi said you came looking for me and Akane."  
  
"Yeah. I wanted to, um, to apologize. For doing what I did at the wedding." Ranma nodded.  
  
"Do you want me to bring Akane by?"  
  
"You sound like you don't trust me."  
  
"I don't. I used to."  
  
"I know." She sighed. "Yeah, please, bring Akane by. I'd appreciate that."  
  
"Um, Ukyo, I think you should know that Akane and I got married." Ukyo swallowed.  
  
"When?"  
  
"The last day of our trip. On our way back."  
  
"Oh. Congratulations."  
  
"Thank you. Can I ask why you are so calm about this?"  
  
"I knew. I knew when I went to the house the day that guy harassed Akane. I knew I had never had a chance." Ranma nodded.  
  
"Is tomorrow after school okay?"  
  
"It's fine." He nodded again and left. Ukyo stared at the door and then looked down to find that she had burned her first okanomiaki. It didn't matter much because the tears would have made it too salty anyway.  
  
"Ayia! Airen, where you go? Shampoo no see you for two weeks."  
  
"Shampoo, I came to talk to you and Cologne."  
  
"Why Airen no answer question?"  
  
"Shampoo, go get your great grandmother." Shampoo hesitated, wanting to say more, but the look on his face silenced her. In the background, Mousse watched Ranma as he waited for the female Amazons to return. The martial artist did not have that nervousness that Mousse had assumed he would have. It was obvious to the half-blind Amazon that Ranma had chosen who he would marry.  
  
Shampoo came back, Cologne closely following her. The matriarch uneasily noted that Ranma seemed surer of himself that he ever had before.  
  
"What is this about, son-in-law?"  
  
"Well, first off you'd better stop calling me that. I don't love, Shampoo. I'm not going to marry her. At this point, I don't even really like her. She's made no attempt to apologize and I don't appreciate it."  
  
"Spatula girl no make attempt."  
  
"Actually she did. Akane and I are going to see her tomorrow after school."  
  
"Shampoo thought Airen no want to be married."  
  
"That's no excuse to throw bombs at people who have no martial arts training and my family. You could have hurt or even killed someone. You could have hurt Akane."  
  
"Airen no care for Violent girl and Violent girl no care for Airen. Why it matter if she hurt?'  
  
"It matters, Shampoo, because I do care for Akane. I love her and if anything were to happen to her, someone would pay dearly."  
  
"It no matter who Airen love, you married to Shampoo."  
  
"Tell me, Shampoo, what do your laws say about a man having more than one wife."  
  
"Is no possible. Man have only one wife, only woman may have many husband."  
  
"Well, then, I guess I can't marry you." Shampoo stared at Ranma. He couldn't be saying what she thought he was saying.  
  
"What you mean?"  
  
"I mean I married Akane already. Of my own free will. She and I are husband and wife."  
  
"Is the marriage consummated, Ranma?" Ranma turned to look at Cologne. She seemed defeated. He smirked.  
  
"Many times over." Cologne nodded and turned away from her great granddaughter.  
  
"Shampoo, if you chose to pursue this man, you will no longer be an Amazon." Shampoo stared at her great grandmother.  
  
"Ranma Shampoo husband."  
  
"No. He is no longer pure. A man must not be married or impure if he is to be worthy. Ranma is both."  
  
"Thank you, Cologne." Ranma turned and left. Shampoo stared after him. It was unfair that she should lose her husband. He said he was married to Akane though, and that he had slept with her, many times apparently. Shampoo sighed.  
  
"Great grandmother, I want to go home," she said softly in her native tongue. Cologne returned her sigh.  
  
"I know, granddaughter, I know." 


	4. IV

I hope this is good. I'm having a hard time figuring out how this is gonna work/happen. I left it like this because I want to give Mika her own chapter. I hope you enjoy.  
  
IV  
  
Saito scowled at the Tendo Dojo. Since Akane had disappeared with Ranma, he'd taken to hanging outside her house, waiting for her to come back. He'd heard today that they'd returned, but neither of them had come to school. It irritated him that Akane had chosen someone like Ranma over him. Yeah, sure, he'd been an asshole but he had liked Akane. If she would just give him a chance she'd see that.  
  
A squeal from Akane's house caught his attention. Saito shifted and peered around eagerly to see who had made it. His heart skipped a beat when Akane came running from behind the house. She was smiling and laughing. He watched as she spun around dropping into a defensive stance. Moments later, Ranma came out after her. He dropped into his own stance and began circling around her. She kept edging away from him, trying to keep her face straight. Saito ground his teeth as Ranma leapt and pinned her to the ground. Once he had her secured, Ranma proceeded to kiss her as passionately as he could, which, from Saito's vantage, was pretty damn passionate. He growled and made his way to their yard.  
  
Somewhere in his mind, he knew what he was going to do was stupid. Ranma had proven to him two weeks ago who the superior was, but he wanted Akane. She was the one person he had not wanted for sex yet was still attracted to. Determined, Saito walked over to the couple.  
  
"Will you get your hands off my fiancée?" he growled at Ranma. Pinned beneath him, Akane could feel Ranma stiffen. He hated Saito. She knew that without having to ask. She knew he'd hated him since Akane had admitted to thinking she had been in love with the older man. Akane knew it, and Saito should have known it, but he didn't.  
  
Ranma finished his kiss with Akane before standing to face the young man who had claimed *his* wife. Smiling cockily, Ranma tilted his head at the young man.  
  
"And what makes you think you can tell me what to do with my wife, Saito?" His voice was a mixture of barely concealed contempt and threat. Saito chose to ignore it.  
  
"She's not yours, she's mine." Akane rolled her eyes. She could feel Ranma's anger rise. Hastily, she stood.  
  
"Saito, I told you I don't want to see you. I don't want to talk to you. I want you to leave me alone."  
  
"Akane, please. I've changed. I--" He was cut off by Akane shaking her head.  
  
"I don't think you have. You are doing exactly what you did when Dad kicked you out. You kept claiming you didn't mean it. You kept saying you could change, that I was the only one you cared for." Akane paused suddenly, something else rising to mind. She narrowed her eyes. "You need something don't you? Every time you got yourself in trouble, you'd come to me with your whole `you're-the-only-one-who-can-help-me' bullshit. So, what did you do this time?" Saito paled but covered himself well.  
  
"I don't need anything," he said, making sure he looked her straight in the eyes. Akane rolled her eyes again.  
  
"You're exactly the same, Saito. Every time I asked you something and you lied, you made it a point to look me straight in the eyes." Saito scowled at her and without speaking, turned and left. Ranma watched him, a frown on his face.  
  
"That man's trouble. If he bothers you again, I want you to tell me immediately."  
  
"I can handle him myself, Ranma," she began angrily. He spun, startling her.  
  
"I don't give a damn whether or not you can handle him yourself. I want him to leave you alone. If *you* can't get him to leave you alone, then someone's going to have to *make* him understand. I don't think you're capable of getting it across to him."  
  
"And why not?" she asked, crossing her arms and glaring at him.  
  
"You're too kind. He needs to have it beat into him and you're too nice to do it." She wanted to be angry with him, but his words were sweet and his protectiveness touched her. Finally she sighed and dropped her arms.  
  
"All right. Damn you. I hate it when you're like this. I can't resist it." He grinned.  
  
"I know."  
  
Kasumi hummed to herself as she prepared dinner for Ranma and Akane. She was pleased with how they had handled themselves. It had been hard for her little sister since Ranma had arrived. After their mother's death, Akane had never really found the self-assurance she needed. She had become surer of herself as time had gone on but Kuno had destroyed her. She wanted to be loved, not dominated. Ranma had scared her with his strength and his seeming disregard for her, but every time he had come to her rescue or said something nice, Kasumi had seen her little sister come closer to being the person she should have been. Akane had learned to hide it well, mostly behind her anger, and Ranma had missed it. His own deficiencies had helped him miss it, so Kasumi couldn't blame him. Besides, things had worked out and they were happily married. Kasumi smiled to herself and began to put everything on trays.  
  
A knock on the door paused her in mid-action. Wondering whom it was, Kasumi put down the bowl in her hands and started toward the door. She met Akane at the base of the stairs. The youngest Tendo daughter, the newest Saotome, waved her sister off and answered the door herself.  
  
Mika shifted her bulk from her left foot to her right foot. The child within kicked, sending a small warmth through her body. She looked up as the door opened. A beautiful young woman answered the door. Her hair was short and slightly messy. Another beautiful woman stood behind her, this one wore an apron and her hair was long and tied back. The family resemblance was obvious.  
  
"May I help you?" Akane asked, curious.  
  
"Yes, I'm looking for a Tendo Akane."  
  
"I'm her." Mika watched the woman smile suddenly. "I mean, I was her."  
  
"Was?" Her smiled widened.  
  
"It's Saotome Akane, now." Mika's eyes widened.  
  
"You're married?" Akane's smile disappeared.  
  
"Yes. Is something wrong?" Mika bit her lip.  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
"Come in then. I'll get my husband. I think I know what you're going to say." Hesitantly Mika accepted the invitation. The woman who had been standing behind Akane offered Mika an arm and led her to the table. She had just been brought tea when Akane and her husband returned. The young man was quite handsome and obviously in love with his wife. Mika bit her lip, wishing her child's father had been in love with her. Or honest at least. Akane caught her look. She sighed.  
  
"Let me guess. This is Saito's work." Mika looked startled. She looked down quickly and chewed on her lip. Self-consciously, she placed her hands on her stomach.  
  
"Yes. He-I-I don't know what to do," she cried as she broke down finally. Akane sat down next to the woman and wrapped her arms around her. Kasumi followed suit. As she sobbed, Akane looked up at Ranma. He looked as if he wanted to kill Saito. This was going to be bad. 


End file.
